PESHAWAR: An advertisement placed by the tehsil administration of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) in District Bannu for certain vacant posts has hurt the religious sensibilities of minorities.

The column in the ad stated that religious minorities such as ‘Christians, Hindus and Shias’ are eligible to apply.

It appeared in a local newspaper on Sunday issued by the office of the Tehsil Municipal Officer (TMO) for 14 sweeper vacancies with the permanent positions having Basic Pay Scale-2.

A separate column mentioned that all genders between a specific age group are eligible to apply.

Mostly Hindus and Christians are hired for positions such as these, however, this time around, the Shia sect has also been added to the list of minorities.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Bannu Tehsil Nazim Malak Ihsan said that there was a clerical mistake in the ad released to the newspapers. Ihsan added that the original ad was to state that ‘minorities are also eligible to apply’.

“We will issue a corrigendum in the newspapers about the clerical mistake in the ad.”

Muhammad Jibran Nasir, a social activist and lawyer, told The Express Tribune that the JUI-F government in Bannu hiring sweepers based on religious and sectarian basis reflects how residents are taught that a certain sect is inferior to another.

“This isn’t the first time that ads for cleaning positions have reflected bigotry and superiority complex of the self-righteous in our government,” said Nasir.

The social activist said that ads such as this have always reflected how our society looks down upon the religious minorities and now a Muslim sect has also been included in the list in shameless exhibition.

I believe this is more of a case of ignorance on the part of people who were assigned to place the ad than a deliberate act of discrimination. However, this whole unfortunate matter be thoroughly investigated and appropriate action should be taken against any recurrence of a similar incident in the future. The KP government must issue an unconditional apology to all minorities in this case. The issue of religion should never be a part of any advertisement in Pakistan, anyway. Recommend

This advertisement is not as bad. It still tells who CAN apply. When I completed my HSc in Karachi and waited to apply for PIA aeronautical engineering college, I was highly disappointed to see an advertisement in newspapers, saying. “Karachi domicile holders need not apply ” That was in 1989. I have been told that nothing has changed but the advertisement is not published anymore.Recommend

“Mostly Hindus and Christians are hired for positions such as thsee”
This additional information is as much discriminatory and hurting when it comes to low position jobs and this is done by express tribune itself.Recommend